Circuit controller



May 21, 1963 A. J. COLAUTTI ETAL 3,09 7

CIRCUIT CONTROLLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 1. 1960 INVENTORSfilfierf dK'olazrf/f A TTOR NE Y BY ($527)? Maw/ax; M/

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS ATTORNEY May 21, 1963 A. J. COLAUTT! ETALCIRCUIT CONTROLLER Filed Aug. 1. 1960 & .6? I? May/4.45

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United States Patent 3,090,847 CIRCUIT CONTROLLER Albert J. Colautti,Windsor, Ontario, Canada, and Bert R. Waniass, Warren, Mich., assignorsto General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of DelawareFiled Aug. 1, 1960, Ser. No. 46,692 4 Claims. (Cl. 200-68) Thisinvention relates to circuit controllers and more particularly tocircuit controllers of the type which are movable to closed position andwhich remain in this position for a predetermined period of time beforeopening the circuit.

The circuit controller of this invention is particularly useful for theremote control or power actuated members, such as the remote control ofvehicle windows from the instrument panel of the automobile, whereinmovement of the member between its terminal positions usually requires apredetermined period of time.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, one or more flexiblecontact arms of bimetallic spring material are mounted on an insulatedbase. The contact arms mount contacts which engage stationary contactswhen the actuator engages the contact arm to move the movable contactinto engagement with the stationary contact to close the circuitcontroller and thereby heat the contact arm. The actuator includes adetent shoulder which is adapted to engage behind a detent shoulder onthe contact arm so that the circuit controller remains closed for apredetermined period of time after initial closure thereof, with thisperiod of time being controlled by fiexure of the arm upon heatingthereof.

The entire contact arm does not flex or bow in the same direction whenit is heated but rather the arm assumes a generally ogee shape. Thelongitudinal portion of the arm from the mounting means to approximatelyhalf way between the mounting means and detent shoulder has the highexpansion metal on the upper side thereof so as to bow in an upwarddirection when the contacts are closed. The other longitudinal portionof the arm, which includes the detent shoulder and the movable contact,has the high expansion metal on the lower side thereof so as to bow in adownward direction when the contacts are closed. Thus, upon heating ofthe arm after the contacts are closed, the other longitudinal portion ofthe arm will bow in a direction to move the detent shoulder of the armaway from the detent shoulder of the actuator to thereby release theactuator. Further, by having the one longitudinal portion of the arm bowupwardly, it will deflect downwardly and cooperate with the bow in theother portion of the arm to maintain the contacts in a closed positionuntil the actuator is returned to its normal position so as not toimmediately open the contacts as soon as the arm starts to release theactuator. This feature provides for ease of operation, and furtherensures that there will be no arcing across the contacts since the armwill not open the contacts until such time as the actuator is in aneutral position to ensure that the contact arm can quickly move throughits complete arc of movement to open the contacts without interferencewith the actuator. This is important since switches of this type mayhave to carry loads of from 60 to 75 amperes in certain installations sothat there is a possibility of arcing if the contacts are not quicklyopened upon release of the actuator from the contact arm.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a new and improvedcircuit controller which includes a bimetallic spring arm flexing orbowing in opposite directions upon closure of the controller and heatingof the arm. Another object of this invention is to provide an improvedcircuit controller which is movable to a 3,090,847 Patented May 21, 1963ice closed position and which will remain in this position for apredetermined period of time without requiring the operator to hold thecontroller in closed position. A further object of this invention is toprovide an improved circuit controller of the bimetallic type whichincludes a bimetallic spring arm and a switch actuator havinginterengaging means whereby the actuator will be held in a positionmaintaining the arm in closed position for a predetermined period oftime which is controlled by the heating of the contact arm and ficxurethereof. Yet another object of this invention is to provide an improvedcircuit controller of the bimetallic type which includes a bimetalliccontact arm and an actuator having inter engaging means maintaining thecontact arm in closed position upon initial closure of the contacts fora predetermined period of time which is controlled by heating of the armand flexure thereof, with the fiexure of the arm being arranged wherebythe arm tends to maintain the contacts of the controller in a closedposition until the actuator has been fully released from the arm andmoved to its neutral position so as to prevent interference between theactuator and the arm which would delay opening of the controller andthereby possibly cause arcing across the contacts.

These and other objects of this invention will be readily apparent fromthe following specification and drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a circuit controller according to thisinvention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken generally along the plane indicatedby line 2-4 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken generally along the plane indicatedby line 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a bottom plan view taken generally along the plane indicatedby line 44 of FIGURE 2, and;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken generally along the plane indicatedby line 5-5 of FIGURE 2.

Referring now to the drawings, the controller includes a generallyrectangularly shaped housing 10 having a pair of laterally extendingapertured cars 12 which provide the means for mounting the housingwithin a suitable opening on the support. A base member 14 of insulatingmaterial fits within the lower opening of housing 10 and is held inplace by a number of angle tabs 16 of spring material which fit withinangle pockets 18 in base 14 and include bent tabs 20 received withinapertures 22 of housing 10.

Base 14 includes a spaced pair of upwardly extending apertured cars 24which fixedly support a pivot pin 26. As best shown in FIGURE 5, aU-shaped actuating member 28 of insulating material includes a pair ofdepending .apertured legs 30 which receive pin 26 therethrough in orderto rotatably mount the member 28 on the base 14 between the cars 24thereof. Member 28 further includes a pair of arms 32 integral with thebase thereof which are riveted or otherwise fixedly secured at 34 tobosses 36 of a manual actuator member 38 received Within the upperopening of housing 18. The members 28 and 38 comprise the switchactuator assembly, with this assembly being normally held in itsposition as shown in FIGURE 2 by a bowed leaf spring 40 riveted at 42 toa boss 44 of base 14 and normally engaging protuberances 46 of arms 32.

As best shown in FIGURE 3 of the drawings, a pair of contact arms 50 oflike construction are riveted at 52 at one end thereof to base 14. Eacharm is of like construction and is made of bimetallic material, with thefree end of each arm having secured thereto a movable contact 54 whichengages a fixed contact 56 riveted to the base 14 when the contacts areclosed. Adjacent longitudinal portions of the arms 50 how in oppositedirections from the junction ribs 58 of the arms to the free end thereofupon closure of contacts 54 and 56 and heating of the arms, with eacharm assuming a generally ogee shape. The one longitudinal portion 60 ofthe arms which extends from the junction rib 58 to approximately halfway between this rib and a detent shoulder 62 of the arm has the highexpansion metal on the upper side thereof so as to bow in an upwarddirection upon closing of the contacts 54 and 56 and heating of the arm.The other longitudinal portion 64 of the arms, which extends from theone portion 60 to the free end of the arms and which includes the detentshoulders 62 and the movable contacts 54, has the high expansion metalon the lower side thereof so as to bow in an opposite direction ordownwardly upon closing of the contacts 54 and 56 and heating of thearm, whereby the arm will assume a generally ogee shape.

Each of the legs 30 of the actuator assembly includes a detent shoulder66 at one corner thereof which is adapted to cooperate with a detentshoulder 62 of the contact arms to close a pair of contacts 54 and 56,as will now be vdescribed. Upon movement of the actuator assembly in onedirection about the pin 26 against the bias of spring 40, such asclockwise in FIGURE 2, the right hand shoulder 66 of the actuatorassembly will engage and move past the shoulder 62 of the respectivecontact arm 50 into engagement with the one side 68 of this shoulder soas to bend the contact arm 50 downwardly about the juncture rib 58 andthereby move the contact 54 of this arm into engagement with the fixedcontact 56 respective thereto. Since the normal tendency of the arm 50is to return to its free position, as shown in FIGURE 2, the springaction of the arm will maintain the shoulder 66 in engagement with theside 68 of shoulder 62 to maintain the arm 50 in a downward position andmaintain the contacts 54 and 56 in closed position. With the arm 50 in aclosed position, current will flow from the center hot lead 42 throughbus bar 70 to the rivet 52 and then through the arm 50 and contact 54 tothe fixed contact 56. This will heat arm 50 and the adjacentlongitudinal portions 60 and 64 of the arm will start to bow in oppositedirections as previously described. When the longitudinal portion 64 ofthe arm, which includes the detent shoulder 62, has been heated a periodof time so as to bow downwardly a suflicient distance, the shoulder 62will be moved downwardly and out of engagement with the shoulder 66 toallow the spring 40 to return the actuator assembly to its neutralposition as shown in the drawings. Since the portion 64 of the arm bowsin a downward direction, while the portion 60 bows in an upwarddirection, but deflects the downwardly deflection of portion 60 and thebowing of portion 64 to tend to maintain the contact 54 in engagementwith the contact 56 for a slight period of time after release of theshoulder 66 from the shoulder 62 to thereby allow the spring 40 toreturn the actuator assembly to its neutral position prior to anydisengagement of the contact 54 from the contact 56. Thereafter, the arm50 will move upwardly to move contact 54 out of engagement with thecontact 56 and quickly open the switch as arm 50 cools without anyarcing across the contacts 54 and 56. There will be no interferencewhatsoever to this quick opening of the switch from the shoulder 66 orfrom any other portion of the member 28 of the actuator assembly sincethe actuator assembly will have previously been returned to a neutralposition.

Thus, this invention provides a new and improved circuit controller.

We claim:

1. A circuit controller comprising, in combination, a housing, a basesecured to said housing and including a stationary contact, a movablecontact arm secured adjacent one end thereof to said base, a contactmounted on said arm adjacent the free end thereof and normally held outof engagement with said stationary contact, said arm being of bimetallicconstruction and having one longitudinal portion thereof flexing in thedirection of closure of said contacts upon heating of said arm, anactuator mounted on said housing and biased to neutral position, saidactuator being engageable with said arm to close said contacts and heatsaid arm, and means on said one longitudinal portion of said arminterengageable with cooperating means on said actuator upon closure ofsaid contacts to hold said actuator in a position to maintain saidcontacts in closed position, said one longitudinal portion of said armflexing in said direction upon heating of said arm for a predeterminedperiod of time to move said means on said arm out of engagement withsaid means on said arm out of engagement with said means on saidactuator and release said actuator to permit said actuator to return toneutnal position, said flexing movement of said arm in said directiontending to hold said movable contact in engagement with said stationarycontact for a period of time suflicient to permit said actuator toreturn to neutral position before said arm moves said movable contactout of engagement with said stationary contact.

2. A circuit controller comprising, in combination, a housing, a basesecured to said housing and including a stationary contact, a movablecontact arm secured adjacent one end thereof to said base, a contactmounted on said arm adjacent the free end thereof and normally held outof engagement with said stationary contact, said arm being of bimetallicconstruction and having one longitudinal portion thereof flexing in thedirection of closure of said contacts upon heating of said arm, anactuator mounted on said housing and biased to neutral position, saidactuator being engageable with said arm to close said contacts andthereby heat said arm, and detent means on said one longitudinal portionof said arm engageable with detent means on said actuator upon closureof said contacts to hold said actuator in a position to maintain saidcontacts in closed position, said one longitudinal portion of said armflexing in said direction upon heating of said arm for a predeterminedperiod of time to move said arm detent means out of engagement with saidactuator detent means and release said actuator to permit said actuatorto return to neutral position, said flexing movement of said arm in saiddirection tending to hold said movable contact in engagement with saidstationary contact for a period of time suflicient to permit saidactuator to return to neutral position before said arm moves saidmovable contact out of engagement with said stationary contact.

3. A circuit controller comprising, in combination, a housing, a basesecured to said housing and including a stationary contact, a movablecontact arm secured adjacent one end thereof to said base, a contactmounted on said arm adjacent the free end thereof and normally held outof engagement with said stationary contact, said arm being of bimetallicconstruction and having one longitudinal portion thereof flexing in thedirection of closure of said contacts upon heating of said arm, anactuator mounted on said housing and biased to neutral position, saidactuator including a detent shoulder engageable with said arm to closesaid contacts, a detent shoulder on said one longitudinal portion ofsaid arm engageable behind said actuator shoulder upon closure of saidcontacts to hold said actuator in a position to maintain said contactsin closed position, said one longi- P tudinal portion of said armflexing in said direction upon heating of said arm for a predeterminedperiod of time to move said arm shoulder out of engagement with saidactuator shoulder and release said actuator to permit said actuator toreturn to neutral position, said flexing movement of said arm in saiddirection tending to hold said movable contact in engagement with saidstationary contact for a period of time sufficient to permit saidactuator to return to neutral position before said arm moves saidmovable contact out of engagement with said stationary contact.

4. A circuit controller comprising, in combination, a housing, a basesecured to said housing and including a stationary contact, a movablecontact arm secured adjacent one end thereof to said base, a contactmounted on said arm adjacent the free end thereof and normally held outof engagement with said stationary contact, said arm being of bimetallicconstruction and having adjacent longitudinal portions thereof flexingin opposite directions upon closure of said contacts and heating of saidarm, an actuator mounted on said housing and biased to neutral position,said actuator being engageable with said arm to close said contacts andheat said arm, and means on one of said longitudinal portions of saidarm engageable with said actuator upon closure of said contacts to holdsaid actuator in a position to maintain said contacts in closedposition, said one longitudinal portion of said arm flexing in adirection upon heating of said arm for a predetermined period of time tomove said arm means out of engagement with said actuator and releasesaid actuator to permit said actuator to return to neutral position, thedirection of flexing movement of said arm tending to hold said movablecontact in engagement with said stationary contact for a period of timesuflicient to permit said actuator to return to neutral position beforesaid arm moves said movable contact out of engagement with said fixedcontact.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,336,408 Matthews Dec. 7, 1943 2,345,451 Bolesky Mar. 28, 19442,348,995 Parkhurst et a1 May 16, 1944 2,467,745 Harrison Apr. 19, 19492,470,613 Gaynor May 17, 1949 2,681,962 Sundt June 22, 1954 2,863,965Cardin et a1 Dec. 9, l958 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,108,438 France Aug. 31, 19551,125,155 France July 9, 1956

1. A CIRCUIT CONTROLLER COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A HOUSING, A BASESECURED TO SAID HOUSING AND INCLUDING A STATIONARY CONTACT, A MOVABLECONTACT ARM SECURED ADJACENT ONE END THEREOF TO SAID BASE, A CONTACTMOUNTED ON SAID ARM ADJACENT THE FREE END THEREOF AND NORMALLY HELD OUTOF ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID STATIONARY CONTACT, SAID ARM BEING OF BIMETALLICCONSTRUCTION AND HAVING ONE LONGITUDINAL PORTION THEREOF FLEXING IN THEDIRECTION OF CLOSURE OF SAID CONTACTS UPON HEATING OF SAID ARM, ANACTUATOR MOUNTED ON SAID HOUSING AND BIASED TO NEUTRAL POSITION, SAIDACTUATOR BEING ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID ARM TO CLOSE SAID CONTACTS AND HEATSAID ARM, AND MEANS ON SID ONE LONGITUDINAL PORTION OF SAID ARMINTERENGAGEABLE WITH COOPERATING MEANS ON SAID ACTUATOR UPON CLOSURE OFSAID CONTACTS TO HOLD SAID ACTUATOR IN A POSITION TO MAINTAIN SAIDCONTACTS IN CLOSED POSITION, SAID ONE LONGITUDINAL PORTION OF SAID ARMFLEXING IN SAID DIRECTION UPON HEATING OF SAID ARM FOR A PREDETERMINEDPERIOD OF TIME TO MOVE SAID MEANS ON SAID ARM OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITHSAID MEANS ON SAID ARM OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID MEANS ON SAIDACTUATOR AND RELEASE SAID ACTUATOR TO PERMIT SAID ACTUATOR TO RETURN TONEUTRAL POSITION, SAID FLEXING MOVEMENT OF SAID ARM IN SAID DIRECTIONTENDING TO HOLD SAID MOVABLE CONTACT IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID STATIONARYCONTACT FOR A PERIOD OF TIME SUFFICIENT TO PERMIT SAID ACTUATOR TORETURN TO NEUTRAL POSITION BEFORE SAID ARM MOVES SAID MOVABLE CONTACTOUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID STATIONARY CONTACT.